Let's All Calm Down with the Giannis Leaving Milwaukee Speculation
/
Zach Lowe is back from vacation and he is recording at a very fast pace. I love it because he is my favorite basketball writer and podcaster. But one thing he keeps bringing up, and a lot of other basketball writers seem to be bringing up is the Giannis statement that he made during an interview.
Giannis said that he would not stay in Milwaukee unless they showed that they can compete for titles year after year. I think that is a pretty normal statement from a superstar who has won a title fairly recently. That seems to be the deal with any upper echelon player that wins. They get a taste of it and they want more and more and more. But listening to Zach Lowe and his colleagues, you'd think that Giannis asked to be traded now. They treat that statement as a proclamation that he wants out, and of course, he wants to go to a big market.
That is what makes me go nuts about all of this. Whenever a superstar player hints at being unhappy, or says they will only stay if the team is competitive, or they just talk to someone with a microphone, to these sports writers for ESPN or Bleacher Report or The Ringer, that means they want out and they must want to go to a big market. All of the teams that get mentioned, the Lakers, Knicks or Celtics, it is all the same. I get that these sports writers spend a good amount of their time in these cities, and it would make their lives easier, but why is it always a big market? Why does it have to be the Lakers or Celitcs? Why do they need to be where the most production and tv cameras are located? Why do these sports writers make it seem like these players will only ever be remembered as great if they are in the biggest market? Do these guys really need to wear purple and gold or green and white to be considered for the hall of fame? No way.
I very much disagree with this statement from Lowe and his buddies. Giannis won a title with Milwaukee. He won with Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday. Those guys are very good, but they may not be hall of fame talents. Michael Jordan was in a very big market, Chicago, but the Bulls never got mentioned. I don't get that. I think, if some of these stars were to leave, Chicago would be a great spot for them to land. Chicago is the third biggest market in the US. But the sports writers would rather they end up in LA or Boston. I get that LeBron did that, leaving Cleveland for LA, but that was more of a life after basketball move. Yes, he did win a title, but the Lakers haven't been as dominant as his teams in Cleveland. All of these sports writers' current darling, Nikola Jokic, plays in Denver. Up until last season the Nuggets games would sometimes get blacked out in Denver because of low ticket sales. But none of the Zach Lowes of the world want Jokic playing in LA or Boston. Anthony Edwards seems to like playing in Minnesota right now. He has gotten better every year and it feels like he wants to build something there. I would not like it at all if he left to be second fiddle for the Lakers or third fiddle for the Celtics. LaMelo Ball is a walking highlight reel and he reupped in Charlotte for a long while. Why would he leave that team now? He gets to do what he wants when he wants. Shai Gilgeous Alexander is on the precipice of becoming a perenial MVP candidate and he was traded from LA to Oklahoma City. He seems much happier on the Thunder right now. Jaren Jackson Jr and Ja Morant are building something nice in Memphis. They have issues they have to clean up, but on the floor in Memphis, they look solid and happy. There are more teams out there than just the LA, New York and Boston teams. And the only one of those big market teams that could put together a good enough trade package for Giannis is the Knicks, and the media barely mentions them now. The Lakers can't do it. The Clippers can't even trade for James Harden right now. And why would the Celtics let Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum go ? They are big stars already.
Sports writers need to chill on the constant talk of big named players instantly heading to the Celtics or Lakers. It is hackey and cliche. Come up with better stuff and stop succumbing to the big name teams. The NBA is fine. The Lakers and Knicks and Celtics don't always have to have the best players. Spread the talent out and give this league parity. That is what makes pro sports so much fun.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.